What are you after?

Some people want to retire to an island in the south pacific and fish. Others never want to retire, choosing instead to continue working on their family-owned citrus farm.

Gary Vaynerchuk, the wine guy turned Internet dude, always says his goal is to buy the New York Jets. Seriously, in almost every keynote I’ve seen of his (and I’ve seen quite a few), he mentions this pursuit.

I like the idea of knowing what people are after. I’ve always enjoyed this quality about Gary. I like that he keeps reminding us what he wants. I like it so much that I’d like to do the same thing.

I don’t mean I want to buy the Jets too. I mean I want to pick a pursuit I really want, something way down the line, and parade it around. I want everyone who knows me to know what I’m after.

One of the qualities that makes for interesting characters in a novel is that the characters have clearly defined objectives. They wants something. It’s obvious they’re trying to get it. And then the rest of the story is about that struggle.

I’d like to be an interesting character like that, like Gary.

Beyond just the interest factor, I think keeping an end goal in mind will help cut out the side trips and even reveal shortcuts to the end.

Like if your end goal is to buy the Jets, you’ll probably get there a lot faster if you tell people. It’s an end that’s so far away there’s no clear path to reaching it. Instead, one thing will lead to another to another to another, and that’s how it’ll happen, if it happens at all.

For those kinds of goals, I think it makes sense to share them with the world.

So, all that to say, here’s my pursuit. Don’t laugh – it’s not crazy out of reach like Gary’s. And actually, I’ve shared it before. Really, it’s a simple future. I bet it could happen in less than five years if I focus.

Ready?

Okay, here it is (again): I want a small home with a big table for hosting banquets with plenty of food and family and friends, even friends I’ve never met before. And I want to do this almost every night of the week.

Or if you want that in just four words, small home, big table. That’s what I’m after.